Dimensional Structure of the Imaginal Processes Inventory for Children (IPI-C)

Abstract

The dimensional structure of Dutch versions of the Imaginal Processes Inventory for Children (IPI-C) was investigated with children in Grades 3–6. According to Study 1, the reliabilities of the nine subscales distinguished within the American instrument were not satisfactory. A principal components analysis (PCA) performed on the subscales resulted in three factors that paralleled the three fantasy styles found previously in a similar analysis of the American IPI-C. However, two of the three factors found were defined by subscales that had a number of items in common. When these shared items were removed from the subscales, a different three-factor solution emerged. The three fantasy styles found in the latter analysis were encountered again in Study 2, which was conducted with an adjusted version of the IPI-C. Three reliable fantasy scales were constructed, for positive-intense, heroic-aggressive, and dysphoric fantasy. The results of the two studies justify further research into the validity of these three fantasy scales.